File #: 2004-0497    Version:
Type: Ordinance Status: Passed
File created: 10/18/2004 In control: Committee of the Whole
On agenda: Final action: 10/25/2004
Enactment date: 11/5/2004 Enactment #: 15049
Title: AN ORDINANCE regarding the duties of county road engineer; establishing the office of county road engineer; delegating the authority to the county executive to assign the professional engineering duties of county road engineer; and amending Ordinance 11955, section 11, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.16.140.
Sponsors: Dwight Pelz
Indexes: Roads
Code sections: 14 -
Attachments: 1. Ordinance 15049.pdf, 2. 2004-0497 Fiscal Note.xls, 3. 2004-0497 Staff Report for 10-25-04 COW ~ County Road Engineer.doc, 4. 2004-0497 Striking Amendment for 10-25-04 COW.doc, 5. 2004-0497 Title Amendment for 10-25-04 COW.doc, 6. 2004-0497 Transmittal Letter.doc
Staff: Carlson, Paul
 
title
AN ORDINANCE regarding the duties of county road engineer; establishing the office of county road engineer; delegating the authority to the county executive to assign the professional engineering duties of county road engineer; and amending Ordinance 11955, section 11, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.16.140.
body
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1.  The powers and duties of the county legislative authority in relation to roads and bridges, and the qualifications and duties of the county road engineer are detailed in Title 36 RCW.
2.  In accordance with chapter 36.80 RCW, the county legislative authority of each county shall employ a county road engineer.
3.  In counties that have adopted a home rule charter, as provided for in Article XI section 4 of the state Constitution, the duties and responsibilities of the county road engineer set forth in chapter 36.80 RCW may be modified by the county legislative authority as allowed by existing constitutional law, statutory law and the county charter.
4.  King County has adopted a home rule charter that establishes the county executive as the chief executive officer of the county.
5.  The King County Charter provides the chief executive officer the powers to supervise and manage all administrative offices and executive offices created by the county council.
6.  While the office of the county road engineer predates the charter it has never been formally established by the King County council.
7.  The King County council finds it now appropriate to formally establish the office of county road engineer, in accordance with state statute.
8.  The King County council has determined that it is in the best interests of the citizens of the county to delegate the responsibility to assign the professional engineering duties of the county road engineer to the chief executive officer of the county.
      BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
      SECTION 1.  Ordinance 11955, Section 11, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.16.140 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
      Department of transportation - duties - divisions.
      A.  The department of transportation is responsible to manage and be fiscally accountable for the road services division, transit division, fleet administration division and airport division.  The department shall perform the metropolitan public transportation function as authorized in chapter 35.58 RCW, K.C.C. Title 28 and other applicable laws, regulations and ordinances; provided, that financial planning for and administration of the public transportation function shall be conducted consistent with financial policies as may be adopted by the council.  The department shall administer the county roads function as authorized in applicable sections of Titles 36 and 47 RCW and other laws, regulations and ordinances as may apply.  The department's functions include, but are not limited to, the activities set forth in subsections B. through E. of this section for each division, administration of grants and the coordination of transportation planning activities with other county agencies and outside entities to integrate transportation planning and land use planning.
      B.  The road services division is responsible to design, construct, maintain and operate a comprehensive system of roadways and other transportation facilities and services to support a variety of transportation modes for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods and delivery of services.  The duties of the division shall include the following:
        1.  Designing, constructing and maintaining county roads, bridges and associated drainage facilities;
        2.  Designing, installing and maintaining county traffic signs, markings and signals;
        3.  Designing, installing and maintaining bicycle and pedestrian facilities;
        4.  Managing intergovernmental contracts or agreements for services related to road maintenance and construction and to other transportation programs supporting the transportation plan;
        5.  Inspecting utilities during construction and upon completion for compliance with standards and specifications; assuring that public facilities disturbed due to construction are restored;
        6.  Performing detailed project development of roads capital improvement projects that are consistent with the transportation element of the county's Comprehensive Plan, and coordinating such programming with other county departments and divisions assigned responsibilities for Comprehensive Plan implementation;
        7.  Incorporating into the roads capital improvement program those projects identified in the transportation needs report, community plans, related functional plans and elsewhere consistent with the county's Comprehensive Plan;
        8.  Preparing, maintaining and administering the county road standards;
        9.  Preparing and administering multi-year roads maintenance and capital construction plans and periodic updates; ((and))
        10.  Administering the transportation concurrency and mitigation payment programs; and
        11.a.  Performing the duties of the office of the county road engineer, which is hereby established as an administrative office of the road services division.  The office of the county road engineer shall be an office of record, supervised by the county road engineer hired in accordance with RCW 36.80.010 and reporting to the division director of the road services division.  The office of the county road engineer shall be located within the corporate limits of the county seat.
   b.  The county road engineer shall carry out all duties assigned to the county road engineer as prescribed by state statute, except as modified by the county executive as authorized in subsection B.11.c. of this section.
          c.  The county executive may assign professional engineering duties of the county road engineer to someone other than the county road engineer, except as otherwise assigned by King County Code, and only if the individual assigned those duties shall be qualified as required under RCW 36.80.020.  The executive shall provide to the county council and the Washington State County Road Administration Board, in writing, those specific professional engineering duties not assigned to the county road engineer, the name and position of each person responsible for carrying out those assigned duties, the specific reporting and working relationships with the county road engineer and the duration for which those duties have been assigned.
          C.1  The transit division is responsible for the operation and maintenance of a comprehensive system of public transportation services in King County.  The duties of the division shall include the following:
          a.  providing all necessary customer services including telephone and other customer information and support systems; managing sales and distribution of fare media, research, market strategies and marketing functions;
          b.  implementing programs, policies and strategies for the public transit in King County; developing and scheduling new products and service and managing contract services;
          c.  developing and implementing transportation programs under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) including preparing policy recommendations and service models and contracting for the delivery of service;
          d.  delivering and managing transit service in the county including service quality and service communication functions;
          e.  managing and maintaining the transit system infrastructure, including trolley power distribution and overhead systems, bases, customer facilities, and the radio communication and data system;
          f.  maintaining transit rolling stock including all revenue vehicle fleets and those vehicles required to support the operation of the transit system, except such vehicles as may be included in the motor pool; managing a central stores function, unit repair facilities and all purchasing activities relative to the procurement of the revenue vehicle fleet;
          g.  managing the design, engineering and construction management functions related to the transit capital program including new facilities development and maintenance of existing infrastructure; providing support services such as project management, environmental review, permit and right-of-way acquisitions, schedule and project control functions;
          h.  managing rideshare operations functions including vanpool, carpool, and regional ride matching programs; and
          i.  preparing and administering public transportation service and supporting capital facility plans and periodic updates.
        2.  The council may assign responsibility for services ancillary to and in support of the operation and maintenance of the metropolitan public transportation system under chapter 35.58 RCW, including, but not limited to, human resources, accounting, budgeting, finance, engineering, fleet administration, maintenance, laboratory, monitoring, inspection and planning, as it determines appropriate.
      D.  The duties of the fleet administration division shall include the following:
        1.  Acquiring, maintaining and managing the motor pool and equipment revolving fund for fleet vehicles and equipment including, but not limited to, vehicles for the department of natural resources and parks, facilities management division, and transportation nonrevenue vehicles. Transportation department vehicles determined by the director to be intricately involved in or related to providing public transportation services shall not be part of the motor pool;
        2.  Establishing rates for the rental of equipment and vehicles;
        3.  Establishing terms and charges for the sale of any material or supplies which have been purchased, maintained or manufactured with money from the equipment revolving fund;
        4.  Managing training programs, stores function and vehicle repair facilities;
        5.  Administering the county alternative fuel program and take-home assignment of county vehicles policy; and
        6.  Inventorying, monitoring losses and disposing of county personal property in accordance with K.C.C. chapter 4.56.
      E.  The airport division is responsible for managing the maintenance and operations of the King County international airport.  The duties of the division shall include the following:
        1.  Developing and implementing airport programs under state and federal law including preparing policy recommendations and service models;
        2.  Managing and maintaining the airport system infrastructure;
        3.  Managing, or securing services from other divisions, departments or entities to perform, the design, engineering and construction management functions related to the airport capital program including new facilities development and maintenance of existing infrastructure; providing support services such as project management, environmental review, permit and right-of-way acquisitions, schedule and project control functions; and
 
        4.  Preparing and administering airport service and supporting capital facility plans and periodic updates.
- 1 -